I have written here in General Forum for cats and dogs about the outside feral cat that I feed at least once a day ( and yes he is getting wet food too now along with dry . ). Last night , after dark, I looked outside and there was a young raccoon helping itself to food from the dish the feral cat eats out of. I opened the door and he got scared up a tree and looked down at me from between two large branches. I had to laugh and then went back inside the house, still watching. He came back and I opened the door , this time he headed across the street ( thank goodness my street isn't very busy). Last week, one morning around 2 am my inside cat (Teddy) was pacing from window to window so I looked out and there was a large skunk walking up the sidewalk. Well I did go to the back door (cause I wanted to get a better look at him). I turned on the light to see the skunk checking out the feral cats food dish. It was empty at the time so he just kind of looked my way ( as if to say "where is the grub eh", ) and walked away.
Ok now my question is this. Is it safe for all these animals to feed out of the same dish ? I wouldn't want the cat to get sick because of the other two. Or should I try to take up the left over food (which is the dry food the feral leaves behind.)?
Thanks for your opinions. Have a great week all.
Mysti

I know raccoons have a worms in feces that can be dangerous to cats, but am not sure about sharing a dish. When a raccoon was getting into the cat food I was leaving out for Misty, a cat I was feeding, I would put the dish through the dishwasher.

My in-laws feed all sorts up where they live...it started with food for a stray cat, and some bird food....now they've got a group of regulars, racoons, possums, cats, chipmunks and last spring some orphaned skunks.... they are out in the country and all the animals do their own thing....i have seen the racoons and skunks eat together out of the same bowl while the cats watched. It never bothered me that racoon and skunks came in the middle of the night to eat the leftover stray food...but I know my neighbours were not fans.